Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma
Smooth-fruit rabbitbrush, Smooth-Fruit Rabbitbrush
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma (Smooth-fruit rabbitbrush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by glabrous fruits diagnostic among varieties.
Smooth-fruit rabbitbrush is a California native shrub found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and desert mountains in dry sandy and rocky habitats at elevations of 700 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces yellow flowers in compact clusters with straw-colored to slightly purple involucres. Growing 30 to 60 centimeters tall with closely matted yellow stems that are often nearly leafless during flowering, it has a dense and compact growth habit. Its leaves are thread-like, measuring 10 to 30 millimeters long, sparse and narrow against the shrub's structure. The fruit is distinctive for being completely glabrous, with smooth seed surfaces that contrast with the plant's woolly appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; glabrous fruits diagnostic among varieties
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry sand, gravel, rocky crevices
Elevation: 700-2400 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Los Angeles, Alameda, Mono, Modoc, Sierra
Outside California: to Utah, Colorado, northern Arizona
Bloom period
Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma blooms Aug-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Isocoma: Ericameria has bracts in 5 vertical rows; Isocoma has randomly arranged bracts.; vs Chrysothamnus: Ericameria has woolly young stems and deep pitted glands; Chrysothamnus has smooth/slightly fuzzy stems and surface glands or none.; vs Baccharis: Ericameria has yellow bisexual flowers in each head; Baccharis has separate male/female plants with whitish flowers.; vs Artemisia: Ericameria has yellow flowers and gland-dotted leaves; Artemisia has greenish flowers and aromatic gray-hairy leaves.; vs Lepidospartum: Ericameria has small narrow leaves; Lepidospartum has scale-like leaves on green rush-like stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma native to California?
Yes. Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma bloom?
Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma blooms Aug-Oct.
Where in California does Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma grow?
Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Los Angeles, Alameda, Mono, Modoc, Sierra, at elevations of 700-2400 m.
What plant family does Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma belong to?
Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma is in the Asteraceae family, genus Ericameria.
What habitat does Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma grow in?
Ericameria nauseosa var. leiosperma grows in Common. Dry sand, gravel, rocky crevices.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ericameria nauseosa var. mohavensis — Mojave rabbitbrush
- Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila — Great basin rabbitbrush
- Ericameria nauseosa var. speciosa — Showy rabbitbrush
- Ericameria nauseosa var. washoensis — Washoe rabbitbrush
- Ericameria ophitidis — Serpentine goldenbush
- Ericameria palmeri — Palmer goldenweed
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.